It's Not Over
by Reinao Tanaka
Summary: Modern-day AU. Sasuke thinks that it's over. He's avenged his family and is now standing trial for the murder of his brother. Then, he learns that it isn't over by a long shot. SasuHina
1. This love is killing me

Well, it's another failed attempt at a one-shot. This one looks like it is going to be maybe three chapters. It is set in a modern-day AU. Everything else you should be able to figure out as the story progresses.

Readers of _When You Say You Love Me_, I am SO sorry for the recent lack of updates! I am now in my last week of spring semester and I promise you that, these past few weeks the professors have been doing their best to kill us before they have to release us for the summer. Look for an update on that story next Monday (the 28th). In the meantime, please enjoy the first installment of this three-shot.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "It's Not Over" (from which this story steals both the title and the music video plot) belongs to Daughtry.

* * *

Chapter One

_I was blown away.  
What could I say?  
It all seemed to make sense.  
You've taken away everything,  
And I can't deal with that.  
I try to see the good in life,  
But good things in life are hard to find.  
We'll blow it away, blow it away.  
Can we make this something good?  
Well, I'll try to do it right this time around._

He stood before the judge's bench, dark eyes full of anger and humiliation. His hands were chained behind his back and he was dressed already in an orange jumpsuit which made his pale skin look dead white. His jaw was clenched as his eyes followed the jury members filing back into their box. The jury foreman handed a paper to the bailiff, who carried it to the judge. The older man scanned it, then focused his stern gaze on the teenager before him.

"Sasuke Uchiha, the jury has found you innocent of your brother's death. However, they have found you guilty on accounts of reckless driving, avoiding arrest, and injuring an officer. You have been sentenced to ten years in jail and…" the man kept talking, but Sasuke no longer heard him.

Ten years in jail.

It could have been so much longer, since he _had_ murdered his older brother. However, the jury must have decided to overlook that crime since it was well-known that Uchiha Itachi had murdered the rest of his family, leaving only Sasuke alive, and the cops had been looking for the killer for years. Sasuke had done them a favor by offing the man. It seemed the jurors weren't so willing to overlook his subsequent evasion of the police, though, however justified he had thought it was.

Sasuke's attention was directed back to the courtroom as the officers at his back prodded him into motion. They escorted him toward the door leading to the jail, which was attached to the courthouse. He struggled to a stop at the doorway, turning his head toward the mass of onlookers. One among their number had stood to watch him go, her lavender eyes filled with tortured tears. Their gazes locked, then she mouthed two words that hit him like a blow to the stomach.

'_I'm pregnant.'_

He was so stunned that he didn't resist the officers as they forced him from the courtroom. He was led to a jail cell and the door was locked behind him. He sank onto his bunk, placing his head in his hands.

What had he done?

He would be spending the first ten years of his child's life in a prison cell.

.oOo.oOo.

**Ten years later…**

"Uchiha," the dark-haired man looked up as his cell door clanked open. The jailer gave him a small smile as he said, "This is your lucky day. Come along."

The man grinned back, glancing down at the picture he cradled in his hands—that of a young woman standing beside a smiling little girl. He stood, following the jailer down the cell block. He was left in a room to change back into street clothes and he gladly abandoned the orange jumpsuit he had worn for ten years. He was given a paper bag containing his wallet, keys, and other personal items. The jailer stopped him at the door which led to the outside world with a friendly hand on his shoulder.

"Good luck, Uchiha. I better not see you again," he said.

Sasuke returned the smile, "You won't, sir."

The jailer nodded and turned away. Sasuke twisted the doorknob, stepping into the room beyond. His onyx eyes fell upon the form of the same woman who was in the picture he had been looking at earlier. Her lavender eyes showed her obvious discomfort at finding herself in this place as they followed a tattooed man who was being hauled off by an officer, cursing loudly all the way. He moved quickly toward her.

"Hinata," he called.

She turned toward him, but did not look at all relieved. When he moved to embrace her, she avoided his arms.

"Let's go, Sasuke," she said.

He hid his hurt at her rejection and fell into step beside her as they walked into the parking lot. Once they had climbed into her car, Sasuke tried to break the awkward silence which had come between them.

"Could we stop by the toy store?" he asked.

Hinata nodded tightly, but still did not speak.

Sasuke tried again, "What kinds of things does Hinome like?"

"I will not help you bribe our daughter! You should have been there while she was growing up," the woman stated harshly.

He flinched, falling silent. Hinata pulled to a stop outside a toy store and Sasuke slid from the passenger's seat. He wanted to ask her to come with him, but her icy silence made it clear that such an offer would not be accepted. He shut the door with a sigh, heading into the store. As he walked down one of the aisles, he pulled his wallet from his pocket and opened it. He possessed a grand total of five dollars, putting most of these toys well out of his price range.

Sasuke's dark eyes were sad as he wandered through the store. The things he wanted to get his daughter were too expensive and the toys that were in his price range were quickly rejected. At last, he found it—the perfect gift. He showed no sign of shame as he strode up to the register clutching a fluffy lavender bunny. The cashier scanned the price tag, telling him the amount, then stared at him as he fumbled for change.

"Hey…you're that guy who killed his brother, right? News this morning said you were getting out today," the cashier said.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke noted the woman in line behind him suddenly pulling her son behind her, fixing him with a frightened stare. He dropped the coins into the cashier's hands and shoved his own hands into his pockets. His shoulders hunched in a bad-boy stance which was purely protective as he merely grunted, not really replying to the teenager's question. He snagged the bunny from the man and left without waiting for his receipt.

When he nearly fell into the car out of eagerness to leave the place, Hinata merely cast him a glance before shifting into drive and pulling away from the curb. She didn't seem to care what he had bought, nor what had upset him. His dark eyes scanned her profile, noting for the first time the dark circles beneath her eyes and the faint lines marking her once perfectly smooth skin. He wondered if she had ever had to endure the attention of strangers because of what he had done.

"Hinata…" he said quietly. When she didn't cut him off, he continued, "How have things been?"

She gave a disbelieving little snort, her eyes leaving the road momentarily to glance at him.

"How have things been?" she repeated as though unable to believe his stupidity, "How do you _think_ things have been, Sasuke? I have been working myself to death trying to provide for our daughter while you've been rotting away in a jail cell. Do you expect things to be just fine between us now? It's been ten years, Sasuke!"

He flinched then, despite his better judgment, came back just as harshly, "Forgive me for trying to avenge my entire family's murder."

"They're _dead_, Sasuke. They've _been_ dead. Hinome and I, your new family, needed you," Hinata hissed.

"If I had known you were pregnant, I would've-" he began to protest.

"Would've what? Waited until your daughter was a little older before you went after Itachi? No, your lost loved ones were more important to you than the ones you have now," Hinata said bitterly.

Sasuke's dark eyes were filled with frustration. This was not at all how he imagined things would be. Still, he couldn't seem to stop himself from continuing the argument.

"If you despise me so much, why did you come to pick me up today?" he asked.

She gave a choked laugh, "Who else would have come?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He wasn't totally without people to call upon for help. There was always his closest friend, who had stuck with him even during the trial and afterward once he was imprisoned.

"Naruto would have come," he stated.

"Naruto?" again she sounded disbelieving, "So then you don't care that he proposed to me the month after you were imprisoned."

He jerked, startled, and studied what he could see of her face. Naruto had done what? The hyperactive blond had never mentioned that to him. His eyes darted down to the steering wheel, scrutinizing her left ring finger. She caught the look and something within her seemed to relax the tiniest bit.

"It was after he found out that I was pregnant. I think he just wanted to make certain I was taken care of," she added softly.

For the first time since seeing the woman he loved standing uncomfortably in the prison lobby, Sasuke felt a glimmer of hope for their relationship.

"But you waited for me," he said.

She pulled into the driveway of a small house and shut off the engine. They sat there for a moment, no sound intruding upon the silence but the ticking of the engine as it cooled. She pulled the keys from the ignition and unbuckled her seatbelt, at last meeting his eyes.

"Yes, I did," she agreed, sliding out of the vehicle and closing the door behind her.

Sasuke climbed out, trailing after her down the sidewalk. As she unlocked the door, he felt fear driving its icy talons into his stomach. Without his conscious permission, one hand slid into his pocket to touch the picture of Hinata and his daughter. This was it.

Hinata opened the door and stepped inside, motioning for Sasuke to follow suit when he hesitated on the porch. Once inside, he couldn't help but relax. The interior of the house was so like Hinata. Everything was designed to be warm and inviting, soothing his worries.

"Hanabi?" Hinata called.

A young woman came around the corner, her lavender eyes sliding dismissively over Sasuke before focusing on her older sister. She embraced Hinata, then stepped toward the door.

"Hinome is watching television in the living room," she informed them before leaving the house.

Again, Sasuke trailed after Hinata, clutching the bag which held his gift to his daughter. He froze as they stepped into what was obviously the living room, eyes fixing on the dark head of hair which peeked over the back of a worn couch. His throat went dry and he swallowed uselessly. The head turned, dark eyes just like his own fixing on the two adults. The television clicked off and the head vanished, reappearing a moment later as the girl came around the couch. She hugged her mother, though her eyes remained fixed on him. Sasuke gave her an uncertain smile, kneeling down so as to be more on her level.

"Hello, Hinome. I brought you something," he offered softly, holding out the bag as one might use food in an attempt to lure a wild animal closer.

Hinata released her daughter, taking a step back as the girl took one forward. She came close enough to take the bag from him, but then held it without letting her gaze drop from his.

"You're my daddy?" she asked.

Heart pounding, the man nodded. His throat was too dry with fear for him to speak. She lowered her head then, pulling the bunny from the bag. Her pale features lit with a smile and she rubbed her cheek against its soft fur. Then, grasping the stuffed animal tight in one tiny hand, she came even closer. Sasuke wasn't entirely certain if it was possible, but he felt like he was going to die from sheer joy when his daughter's arms went around his neck. He held her gently at first, like fragile glass which might shatter under pressure. A choked sob tore loose from his throat and he hid his face in her soft hair, tightening his grasp. She smelled like sunshine and innocence…and she was his.

"It's all right, daddy. You're home now," she whispered, running her little fingers through his hair.

He couldn't hold back the tears then, but his daughter was content to remain in his arms as he wept for the years he had lost. Behind them, Hinata watched with tears in her own eyes.

* * *

To borrow words from the song...it's not over! Tune in next week (hopefully) for the next chapter! As always, please leave me a review and let me know what you thought. Even just a sentence or two will make my day and inspire me to keep writing!


	2. But you're the only one

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "It's Not Over" belongs to Daughtry.

* * *

Chapter Two

_Taken all I could take,  
And I cannot wait.  
We're wasting too much time  
Being strong, holding on.  
Can't let it bring us down.  
My life with you means everything,  
So I won't give up that easily.  
I'll blow it away, blow it away.  
Can we make this something good?  
'Cause it's all misunderstood.  
Well, I'll try to do it right this time around.  
_

Later that night, Hinata lay uncomfortably in her bed, body tense because of the presence of the man lying next to her. She had not shared her bed in ten years and, despite the fact that this man was the father of her child, she felt that he was a stranger. In reality, she could easily reach over and touch him, but emotionally there was a chasm between them. She felt him shift beside her, but did not remove her gaze from the ceiling. Her mind traveled back to the past, back to when she had realized she didn't know the man she was in love with and the events that had snowballed from that realization.

**Ten years and two months ago…**

Hinata snuggled closer into Sasuke's side, relishing the warmth of his arm around her. He unconsciously rested his chin on the top of her head, idly flipping through television channels. He paused at a news station and Hinata winced upon seeing her father's face. Hiashi Hyuuga stood before the skyscraper which housed his multi-million dollar company, announcing some new product they had developed. The young woman shifted her head to look at her boyfriend as the camera angle moved to pan the crowd.

"Sasuke, can you change the-" the words suddenly froze in her throat.

Sasuke's dark eyes had filled with hatred. His lean body tensed beneath her at the same time his mouth drew down into a snarl. She glanced back at the television, but the camera had returned to her father's face. The screen faded to black as Sasuke viciously punched the 'off' button. He rose suddenly, causing her to nearly fall over. She caught herself, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Sasuke, what's going on?" she asked innocently.

"I'm going out," he said, grabbing his jacket from the back of the couch and stalking from their apartment.

Hinata was left staring after him with no idea as to what could have possibly upset her boyfriend so badly. She waited up for him to return, but fell asleep on the couch around one o'clock.

The morning found her kneeling in front of the toilet, losing what little food she had choked down the night before. This had been a constant ritual the past several months; she attributed it to a lingering stomach virus which had been going around her workplace. When her stomach at last settled down, she rose and made her way back to the couch, picking up a piece of toast she had abandoned and nibbling on it even though she wasn't really hungry.

Sasuke hadn't returned last night.

Out of sheer desperation, she flipped the television on. If something terrible had happened to him, perhaps the news would be running a story on it.

"-a man infamous for the systematic slaughter of his entire family several years ago. Police are currently pursuing the main suspect in his death," the anchorman reported tonelessly.

Hinata was about to mute it when the image switched to an aerial shot of a car being chased by a horde of police cruisers. Her mouth went suddenly dry as the remote clattered onto the coffee table. That was Sasuke's car.

She was suddenly desperate to hear more, but the newsman moved on to a story about a bank robbery. She turned the television off and padded into the study, waking the computer up and bringing up a webpage. She typed in her boyfriend's last name, clicking on the first article the search returned.

'_In the most shocking mass murder in history, fifty-two members of the Uchiha family were found murdered in their homes this morning. Police were alerted by concerned neighbors, who had noticed a lack of activity around the houses in the past several days. Preliminary coroner's reports state that each person was killed by a single shot to a vital area. The prime suspect in the case is Itachi Uchiha, a police officer himself. Both he and his gun are missing from his home and coworkers report that he was behaving oddly on the day the murder occurred. The sole survivor of the massacre is eight-year old Sasuke Uchiha, younger brother of the suspected murderer. Sources indicate that the boy has not spoken since he was found and it is unknown at this time whether or not he will be able to testify if or when his brother is found.'_

Hinata's hand was covering her mouth by the time she finished the short article, tears glittering in her lavender eyes. She had always wondered about Sasuke's family, but he had been uncooperative at best whenever she asked. All she knew was that his parents were dead and she had never wanted to pry. She wished now that she had.

Hinata refreshed the search page and found a newly posted article. Scanning it, she discovered that Itachi Uchiha had been found dead outside what had once been his parents' home. Witnesses had reported seeing Sasuke fleeing the scene and, as the anchorman had stated, police were currently pursuing him. She closed the window and pushed away from the computer screen, biting a nail in anxiety. She could easily fill in the dots. Sasuke had seen his brother on the television yesterday, which had caused his sudden coldness. He had somehow managed to track Itachi down and had subsequently killed him in repayment for the murder of his family. On some level, she understood his actions…but why hadn't he reported the sighting to the police? She felt her stomach clenching again and barely made it to the bathroom in time.

As she hung listlessly over the toilet bowl, she heard the front door open. Her heart rate skyrocketed despite the fact that she logically knew it couldn't be Sasuke.

"Hinata?" the female voice confirmed her thoughts.

She pushed herself up enough to flush the toilet and called weakly, "In here."

Her younger sister, Hanabi, hustled into the bathroom. At the sight of Hinata's misery, she dropped to the floor beside her with no regard for her expensive clothes. She brushed her sister's long hair back, eyeing her pale face with concern.

"How long have you been ill?" she asked in a no-nonsense tone.

Hinata waved a hand in disregard, her lavender eyes again filling with tears.

"Y-you've heard about Sa-Sasuke then," she stammered.

When she was younger, she had had a horrible speech impediment. It had improved over the years, now only occurring when she was especially upset.

Hanabi's eyes narrowed.

"Neji!" she yelled.

Their cousin stepped through the doorway, his pale eyes filling with worry at the sight of Hinata. He knelt on her other side, all three barely fitting in the tiny bathroom.

"What have you done to yourself?" he demanded.

"It's just a little bug," she protested, embarrassed by their concern.

Neji's jaw tensed, as though he were imagining beating Sasuke to a pulp for neglecting to take care of his cousin. Hinata laid a gentle hand on his muscular arm.

"He's been worried about me too, but we don't have the money to visit the doctor over a simple virus," she said.

Hanabi snorted at the reminder. Their father had cut off all of Hinata's assets when she decided to move in with her boyfriend, hoping his action would bring his eldest daughter to her senses. When she had continued on her course, he had stopped speaking to her and tried to forbid Hanabi from seeing her. Hanabi had of course defied him, though she did not approve of Sasuke any more than their father did.

"Well, you're seeing a doctor now," Neji stated, scooping her into his arms and exiting the bathroom.

Hinata struggled against him.

"But Sasuke-" she protested.

"Is an idiot," Hinabi finished, "You aren't going to do him any good sitting in front of the television and biting off all of your nails. You are going to see a doctor and that is final."

Hinata knew when an argument would do her no good and subsided, though her mind remained fixed on Sasuke during the silent drive to the hospital.

.oOo.oOo.

An hour later, Hinata perched on the edge of an examination table, sister and cousin on either side of her. The three of them watched the blonde doctor scribble on a notepad, making occasional noises to herself. Hinata elbowed Neji in the side and he flinched, jerking his gaze up from the doctor's impressively-sized chest. A faint blush stained his cheeks and he refused to look at his cousin. Despite her worry over her boyfriend's safety, Hinata smiled. Boys will be boys, she guessed. The doctor at last looked up, her brown eyes drilling into Hinata's.

"How long has it been since your last period?" she asked bluntly.

What little color remained in Hinata's pale cheeks drained away and she swayed on the table. Her family members quickly wrapped their arms around her in support.

"It was just…" she trailed off, not able to recall her last one. She stammered, "B-but we-we've always be-been caref-ful. I'm o-on the pi-pill a-and."

The doctor interrupted her pathetic attempt to speak.

"I'll have to take a few tests, but you seem to have all the symptoms of being pregnant," she said.

Hinata nodded numbly, doing as she was directed. At last, the doctor smiled kindly at her and told her that she could leave. Hinata slid silently off the bed, supported by Neji's strong arm.

"Thank you, Doctor Tsunade," Hanabi stated when it became apparent that Hinata was intent on simply getting out of the hospital.

They made it as far as the lobby before the young woman froze, attention riveted on the television screen. An aerial shot showed the scene of a several car pileup on the interstate. What made the scene unusual was that the majority of the cars were police cruisers. The camera suddenly angled in as a single figure slid from the window of one of the crashed vehicles and took off toward the side of the road. Within moments, he was swarmed by a horde of officers. He fought them tooth and nail, but before long they had him pinned on the ground as one of their number handcuffed him. He was pulled upright and the camera angled in even closer. The shot of his face was blurry, but clear enough to confirm what Hinata already knew.

It was Sasuke.

The world went black and the last thing she knew was Neji's arms closing around her.

.oOo.oOo.

A few weeks later, a car pulled up in front of the courthouse.

"It's a circus out there," Naruto muttered, reaching over to grip Hinata's hand in a show of support.

She showed no sign of even feeling the gesture, her eyes remaining fixed on the reporters gathered outside the stone building. After the call from the hospital that morning, which had confirmed Doctor Tsunade's suspicions, she felt numb. As usual, Naruto had done his best to cheer her up since he had arrived at her apartment to drive her to the courthouse, but his efforts had done little good. After an awkward moment, Naruto withdrew his hand and parked the car.

"Let's get this over with then," he said to himself,

He climbed from the car and went around to open Hinata's door, helping her out like a gentleman and supporting her as they moved toward the throng. As soon as the vultures spotted Hinata, the noise level increased. Microphones were shoved in her face along with a multitude of prying questions.

"Ms. Hyuuga, is it true that Sasuke beat you?"

"Hinata, have you spoken with Sasuke during his imprisonment?"

"Is it true that Sasuke threatened to kill your father when he tried to separate the two of you?"

"Hinata, can you confirm the rumors that you are pregnant?"

Naruto snarled at the reporters, shoving the microphones away.

"Leave her alone!" he shouted, pulling the frail young woman behind him into the relative safety of the courthouse.

Once the doors shut behind them, he pulled her into his arms and forced her to look at him. His sapphire eyes were filled with concern for her. A tiny part of Hinata's mind stirred to life long enough to ironically note that, just a few years ago, she would have been swooning to have Naruto's undivided attention. How quickly things had changed, for now all she could think about was Sasuke.

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked.

"I just want to get this over with," she responded faintly, breaking free of his grip and walking toward the courtroom.

As it was the final day of Sasuke's much-publicized trial, the verdict was handed down and Hinata revealed her own news. Heartbroken and exhausted, she allowed Naruto to take her home and hold her until she fell asleep.

.oOo.oOo.

A month passed and Hinata could no longer hide the fact that she was pregnant. Her boss fired her, not wanting an unwed mother as an employee. She didn't know where else to go, so she went to see Naruto. He tugged her into his apartment and embraced her, then pulled back, eyes wide. His gaze fastened on her stomach then rose to her tear-stained face.

"I-I was f-fi-fired," she stammered.

His arms went around her again as he swallowed his own questions, simply holding her as she cried. When it became apparent that she wouldn't be stopping anytime soon, he pulled her pliant form toward the couch and settled her there while he grabbed a box of tissues. Not knowing what else he could do, he just sat there and whispered soothing phrases into her ear. At long last, the flow of tears halted. She pulled back and glanced up to find her boyfriend's best friend looking supremely uncomfortable. He lifted a hand to scratch the back of his head, not meeting her gaze.

"You know, Hinata, I could, um, maybe help you. Financially and stuff," he held up a hand to stop her protest, "I know you wouldn't want charity, so I…uh…I thought that maybe. Well, you know…we could get married." He rushed on then, obviously embarrassed yet determined to lay out his plan, "We're friends, you know, and you need someone to take care of you. I know we don't, um, love each other or anything, but maybe that will come in time. I want to take care of you, Hinata."

She knew it would hurt him, but she said it anyway, "I can't betray Sasuke."

He flinched, running a hand through his unruly blond hair.

"Ten years is a long time to wait, Hinata. I think he would understand that you couldn't wait for him what with," he gestured uncomfortably toward her swelling stomach.

Hinata smiled fondly at the blushing man, again thinking how different things would be if he had only said these words a few years ago. Admittedly, it was probably the clumsiest proposal she had ever heard…but it might very well be the _only_ proposal she ever heard directed toward her. Sasuke had never hinted toward taking their relationship to the next level and she had no guarantee that he would even care about her after ten years in jail. And very few other men would be willing to marry a woman already saddled with another man's child. Still, she shook her head.

"I can't, Naruto. It wouldn't be fair to marry you when I'm in love with Sasuke. I have to wait for him," she said.

Naruto nodded, quickly hiding the flash of rejection in his eyes. He really did care about Hinata, though his obliviousness had made him blind to her for just a few years too long.

"All right. Well, I'm here to help if you ever need me, ok?" he asked.

The young woman nodded, a small smile curving her lips.

"Thank you, Naruto," she said.

.oOo.oOo.

**Present day…**

Naruto opened his door at a loud knock, only to stumble backwards as a fist connected solidly with his jaw. He swore, glaring at his guest as he raised a hand to touch the already-swelling flesh.

"What was that about, teme?" he demanded.

The dark-haired Uchiha stalked into his apartment, going to the freezer and retrieving an icepack for each of them. He handed one to Naruto before collapsing onto the couch and pressing his own to his throbbing hand.

"That was for proposing to Hinata, dobe," he stated.

Naruto grinned sheepishly, then winced as the action pulled at his jaw. He tenderly pressed the ice to the sore spot.

"Eh, I was hoping she wouldn't mention that. Darn it, Sasuke, I was just trying to help her. You didn't have to hit me that hard!" he said.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, eyes roaming the apartment. His gaze paused at a particular photograph, smirk curving his lips. He asked, "Going after the younger sister since Hinata rejected you?"

Naruto followed his gaze, blushing at the sight of the picture of him grinning stupidly with an arm around Hanabi's shoulders.

"We're just friends," he denied, quickly changing the subject, "So what are you planning on doing now?"

"Finding a job…catching up on lost time," Sasuke said.

Naruto sobered studying his best friend carefully. His expression was oddly protective.

"You had better propose to her, teme. She's waited ten years for you," he said.

Sasuke sank back into the plush couch, dark eyes narrowing. He didn't respond to his best friend's near-threat.

* * *

So, don't expect another quick update. This is final exam week for me and I really am swamped. I just had some spare time this weekend to write and I decided to go ahead and post a new chapter of this. The third and final chapter should come out next week, or maybe end of this week if I have enough time to write it after my last exam.

**Bookworm007:** As I do not have younger siblings and try hard to avoid little kids, it is quite possible that Hinome doesn't act like a typical ten-year old. However in my defense, I point out that Hinata is quite sweet and innocent despite her age and profession in canonverse Naruto, so it is quite possible their daughter took after her. As for the length of the sentence...I'll ask my dad (who is a police officer) if I am being unrealistic and get back to you on that.

Thanks to **Dark Aura 132**, **Diablo's Heir**, **SmallButPowerful**, **Loveslavender**, **UnbeatableHinata**, **Ryan-sensei**, **Jester of Fools, Toni**, and **Akai-sora** for your wonderful reviews. Glad you are enjoying the story thus far.

If you are continuing to enjoy the story/see areas for improvement, please take a few seconds and leave me a review. It will inspire me to get the last chapter up this week instead of leaving you hanging. n.n


	3. Its not over

Wow, I kinda forgot about this story. Sorry! Anyway, thanks to my fickle muse and the request of **Diablo's Heir**, this story has now become a four-shot. I am intent on finishing this before I go back to college, so look for the final update either this week or next week.

Disclaimer: Naruto is Kishimoto-sama's. "It's Not Over" belongs to Daughtry. The plot is MINE! So is Hinome...

* * *

_Let's start over, _

_I'll try to do it right this time around. _

_It's not over, _

'_Cause a part of me is dead and in the ground._

_This love is killing me, _

_But you're the only one._

_It's not over._

Early the next morning, after Hinome had been dressed and sent off to school, Sasuke was all thumbs as he attempted to knot his tie. It had been so long since he had been able to dress up that his fingers seemed to have forgotten how. Hinata was leaning against the door frame outside their room, watching him dress. She had been maintaining her distance from him all morning, but now she stepped into the room. He paused in his task, his wide dark eyes reminding her of their daughter's. Her hard lavender gaze softened and she batted his hands away. She pulled out his pathetic attempt at a knot and easily created a neat one, sliding it up to his throat. Her fingers brushed against his skin, making his breath catch. She pretended not to notice, but she did take a moment longer to straighten the collar of his dress shirt before stepping back. Her eyes carefully avoided his.

"Good luck, Sasuke," she said quietly.

He started to reach for her, aching to kiss her or at least hold her in his arms...but it was still too soon. The way she tensed at his movement proved that. He swallowed and nodded.

"Thank you," he said.

She crossed her arms protectively over her torso, following him to the door. At the end of the driveway, he turned and waved at her. She gave him a slight smile, lifting her hand in a weak wave. Sasuke opened the car door and slid in beside Naruto.

"I really appreciate this, dobe," he said.

The blond grinned as he pulled away from the curb.

"It's nothing, teme. Besides, I'm doing it for Hinata," he teased.

Sasuke lightly punched his best friend's shoulder, making the other man wince.

"I could give you a matching black eye," he said.

Naruto glanced over at him, revealing a dark ring around one of his eyes where Sasuke had punched him the day before. He lifted one hand from the wheel to wave it in his defense.

"Just kidding, teme!" he protested.

The two men fell silent for the rest of the car ride. At last, they stopped before an office building. Sasuke climbed out and Naruto pulled away. He would try to find a place to park nearby where he could wait for his friend to finish. The dark-haired man studied his appearance in the glass door of the building before opening it and entering. He gave the receptionist a charming smile.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm here to apply for the position you have available," he said.

She nodded, pulling out the application and sliding it onto a clipboard. She set a pen on top of it and handed the whole thing to him. He nodded his thanks and retreated to the waiting area, settling down to fill out the several page-long application. He breezed through most of it, but paused at the space where it asked if he had ever committed a felony. With a little sigh of resignation, he checked 'yes' and went on to list his felonies. It took him several more minutes to finish, then he stood and went back to hand in the paperwork. The receptionist accepted it with another smile, flipping through the pages to make sure he had filled out everything.

"This looks complete. We'll-" her smile froze suddenly and he knew she had seen the list of his crimes.

Thankfully he had been found innocent of murder, he thought, though by her expression it wouldn't have made him much worse.

"We'll call you back and let you know if you got the position by the end of the week," she finished.

"Thank you," he said quietly, turning and leaving the office.

He knew even then that he would never hear back from them.

The rest of the day followed in a similar manner. When he first stepped in, they were very open and even excited, but their enthusiasm faded as soon as they learned he was an ex-convict. He was very discouraged by the time he returned home that night.

"We'll try again tomorrow!" Naruto called out the window just before he drove off.

The dark-haired Uchiha opened the door to Hinata's home--he couldn't quite bring himself to think of it as his yet.

"I'm home," he called.

The television switched off and, an instant later, his daughter came running around the corner. She slid to a stop just in front of him, her excited expression suddenly turning shy. His tired expression lifted into a smile. He knelt and spread his arms. She grinned, eagerly coming into his embrace.

"Did you have a good day, Daddy?" she asked.

He sighed, "It was a start."

Hinata's voice interrupted their moment.

"Supper is ready," she announced.

He reluctantly released Hinome and ruffled her hair as she started back toward the kitchen. Hinat's lavender eyes met his in silent question, to which he just shook his head. Her shoulders slumped ever so slightly as she followed after her daughter. Sasuke's dark eyes narrowed. That second's exchange had just hardened his determination to find a job. He wasn't going to let Hinata down.

.oOo.oOo.

That night, he perched cautiously on the edge of his daughter's bed, gaze roaming the room. The walls were painted a pale purple and the carpet was white. Her sheets and bedspread were a darker purple, shot through with silver threads. The bed itself was surrounded by alternating silver and purple sheer curtains. He couldn't help but smile. Despite her limited income, Hinata had done her best to help their daughter feel like a princess. Hinome held the bunny he had bought her close to her as she snuggled down in the covers. She smiled up at him, her dark eyes sleepy.

"Love you, Daddy," she murmured.

He smiled and bent down, brushing back her bangs to lay a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I love you too," he responded.

He stood and moved out of the way so that Hinata could wish their daughter goodnight as well. She pressed a kiss to the little girl's cheek, whispering something in her ear that made Hinome laugh. With that, she stood and they both moved to the door, turning off the light. The couple stood for a moment just watching their daughter drift off to sleep. After a short time had passed, they headed to their bedroom. Hinata turned off the light before taking off her robe and sliding quickly under the covers. However, there was enough light from the window for Sasuke to make out her white, lacy nightgown. His mouth went dry and he quickly averted his eyes, pulling off his own shirt. He climbed into bed beside her, closing his eyes, but all he could picture was that glimpse of lace and pale skin lit by moonlight. At last, he rolled over on his side to face her.

"Hinata," he whispered.

She turned her head toward him, opening her eyes. He cautiously lifted a hand to brush aside a lock of hair that had fallen into her face. For just a moment, he simply watched her. She blushed at his intense gaze.

"What is it, Sasuke?" she asked.

He hesitated a minute longer, then lifted himself up on an elbow. She stiffened as he leaned toward her. He carefully kissed her forehead, the same place he had kissed Hinome. With Hinata, however, the action made his pulse begin to race. His body longed to pull her fully into his arms and really kiss her. It was all he could do to pull away, to lay on his back and gaze up at the ceiling.

"Goodnight, Hinata," he said quietly.

There was a moment of silence in which he could feel her gaze burning into the side of his face. He refused to look back at her. If he did, he wasn't sure if he could control himself again. At last, there was a rustle of movement as she rolled away from him.

"Goodnight, Sasuke," she responded.

He closed his eyes, but sleep did not come for a long time after that.

.oOo.oOo.

A week full of frustration passed, in which Sasuke was rejected for job after job. It seemed no one wanted to hire an ex-con. Naruto had run out of vacation time and Sasuke had been searching for jobs the past few days by himself. Late one night, thoroughly depressed, he lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He heard the sheets rustle as Hinata sat up and closed his eyes, not waiting her to realize he was still awake and brooding. Thus, he jumped when he felt her hand touch his bare shoulder.

"Sasuke, I know you're awake," she said in her best motherly tone.

He opened his eyes, surprised again to find she had willingly moved closer to him.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," he apologized.

At least she, who had to go to work in the morning, should get a good night's sleep. Her stern expression faded to one of concern at the hopeless look in his dark eyes.

"What is it?" she asked.

He hesitated, but at last decided that he had to unburden his fears to someone.

"No one will give me a job, Hinata. For so long I told myself that I would make everything up to you as soon as I got out jail, but now it looks like I won't ever be able to," he said. Unconsciously, his hand rose to trace the faint wrinkle lines marking her face as he continued, "You spend all day working, then come home and fix supper, then you still find energy to pour into our daughter. You're always so patient and cheerful, but I can see that you're tired. I wanted to be able to provide everything for you."

Tears had filled her lavender eyes as he spoke. She took his hand in hers, holding it so that she could kiss his fingertips.

"Oh, Sasuke...if I wanted a perfect life, don't you think I would have gone begging back to my father? He would have taken me back in and restored my inheritance. But all I ever wanted was you, Sasuke. I am content," she said.

It was the most she had spoken directly to him since the day she had picked him up from prison. By the end of it, Sasuke was blinking away his own tears.

"You deserve so much more, though," he whispered.

She released his hand to run her fingers through his unruly black hair, brushing it away from his face. The gesture was so soothing that Sasuke closed his eyes, tense form relaxing back into the mattress. Hinata settled down with her body pressed to his, head resting on his chest.

"Everything will work out," she murmured.

Lulled by the pulse of his heartbeat, she fell asleep in a matter of minutes. Sasuke lay awake for a short time longer, simply listening to her even breathing and feeling the warmth of her body against his. He slid an arm around her and carefully pulled her even closer to him. Only then did he finally drift off to sleep.

The two were rudely awakened the next morning by the shrill ringing of the telephone. During the night, Hinata had somehow shifted so that she lay half on Sasuke and both his arms were wrapped around her. For one disoriented moment, they stared into each other's eyes as the phone continued to ring. Then, Sasuke extended one arm and swiped the cordless unit from its base on the bedside table. He punched the 'on' button as he moved it to his ear.

"Hello?" he said.

Hinata, face quickly starting to turn red, tried to shift off of him, but the one arm still around her waist held her firm. She stilled, contenting herself with eavesdropping on his conversation.

"I am calling for Sasuke Uchiha. Is he available?" the voice from the other end of the phone asked.

"Speaking," Sasuke said shortly.

Inwardly, he was fighting off an insane surge of hope. It was likely just another call to inform him that the position had already been filled.

"Mr. Uchiha, this is Kabuto Yakushi from Sound Industries. I was wondering if you would be interested in coming in for an interview," the man said.

Sasuke's eyes shot to Hinata's and she gave him a cautious smile. He forced himself not to sound too eager.

"Of course," he said.

"Would tomorrow at ten-thirty be a good time for you?" Kabuto asked.

"Yes, ten-thirty would be great," Sasuke responded.

"Excellent. I will see you then, Mr. Uchiha. Have a good day," he said.

"Thank you. Goodbye," Sasuke said.

He clicked off the phone, dropping it to the bed. The couple sat in silence for a moment, soaking in the good news. The dark-haired male suddenly let out a whoop and leapt from the bed, pumping his arm in an age-old sign of victory. He spun and pulled Hinata up, dancing crazily around the room with her. She laughed until she had to cling to him for support. He stilled, looking down into her joyful face, then bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. Hinata froze beneath him and, realizing his mistake, he started to pull away from her.

"Hinata, I'm so-" he started to stammer out.

Her hands lifted, entwining themselves in his hair, and she pulled his head back down with more strength than he would have given her credit for. His arms wrapped around her waist as he crushed her to him. There was an underlying desperation to their kiss, as though they were trying to make up for the years they had been apart.

"Ew...gross," the voice of their daughter made the couple quickly pull apart.

Hinata let out a shaky breath that spoke volumes for both of them. Running a hand through her disheveled hair, she turned to Hinome.

"What do you need, honey?" she asked.

"I can't reach the cereal," the little girl said.

Hinata's lavender eyes widened as she glanced at the clock.

"I'm going to be late for work! Sasuke, can you take care of her?" she asked, already rushing toward the bathroom.

Sasuke pulled on a shirt before taking his daughter's hand.

"Let's go get you some breakfast," he said.

* * *

As I said, next update should be SOON! In the meantime, please review and let me know what you think of this twist my muse has come up with. :D

**Akai-sora:** You said it! Note to everyone. The proper way to do this is love, then marriage, then kids. This is Fanfiction, not a pattern upon which to base your life.

Thanks to **xFlawed Imperfectionx, SmallButPowerful, unbeatablehinata, Diablo's Heir, bookworm007, barbie12k, The Ninja Lord, Jester of Fools, HeartBrokenHinata, blackraven615, **and **yourtypicalpsycho **for reviewing. Again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update this!!


	4. Let it out

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto-sama. "It's Not Over" belongs to Daughtry.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoy the final chapter! Please leave a review and let me know what you think.

* * *

_We can't let this get away  
Let it out, let it out  
Don't get caught up in yourself  
Let it out._

Chapter Four

Even with the interview at Sound Industries scheduled for the next day, Sasuke decided he was going to continue looking for a job today. He saw both Hinata and Hinome out the door before returning to the bedroom to get himself dressed for the day. Sick of wearing suits, he decided to go for a more casual look today—wearing a dress shirt and dark jeans instead. He headed out on foot, hands shoved in his pockets. His dark eyes roamed from side to side as he moved deeper into the city. He turned down a random street and paused in front of the window of a bookstore. It was called 'Between the Lines' and, judging by the amount of people going in and out, it was very popular. What attracted his attention, however, was the 'Help Wanted' sign propped up in the window. Sasuke opened the door and stepped inside, walking straight to the counter. A silver-haired man sat behind the cash register, head buried in a book.

"Excuse me," Sasuke said.

The man lifted his head, revealing that the lower half of his face was hidden beneath a cloth mask. His hair hung down over his left eye, but the other eye creased in what must pass as a smile. He closed the book and set it aside. Sasuke's surprise deepened at the sight of the risqué cover. The man was reading porn in a bookstore where children were wandering around!

"May I help you?" the man asked.

"Ah…yes. I was wondering if I could speak to your manager," he said.

"That would be me," the man responded, repeating, "How may I help you?"

"I noticed the sign in your window. I'm interested in applying for a position," Sasuke said.

The silver-haired man tipped his chair back, balancing there as he studied Sasuke.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Uchiha…hmm? I had a friend once, Obito Uchiha; he must have been one of your cousins," the man trailed off, glancing toward his book. After a moment, he nodded and the front legs of his chair hit the ground. He stood and extended his hand, "You're hired."

Sasuke gaped at this odd man.

"But…you don't know anything about me!" he protested.

The man didn't lower his hand.

"Are you willing to work hard?" he asked.

"…Yes," Sasuke said.

"Then that's all I need to know. When can you start?" he asked.

"I have another job interview tomorrow…but if I don't get that I could start the day after tomorrow," the Uchiha said, at last reaching forward and shaking the other man's hand.

Another eye crinkle from the silver-haired man. He shook Sasuke's hand firmly, then accompanied him to the door. The Uchiha watched with a sense of disbelief as he removed the 'Help Wanted' sign from the window. This man was the strangest he had ever encountered and, after all those years in prison, that was saying something.

"I am Kakashi Hatake, by the way. I will see you the day after tomorrow," the man said.

Sasuke nodded and, next thing he knew, he was standing on the street. Life was certainly looking up. In the same day, he had scheduled one job interview and had another job waiting for him if that one didn't work out. Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he returned to Hinata's house. Once inside, he picked up the phone to call Naruto.

"Pervert Productions," the blond chirped into the phone.

"NARUTO!" a man yelled in the background.

He heard Naruto chuckle before yelling back, "It's just Sasuke, Jiraiya. Don't get your knickers in a knot!"

"Should you be talking to your boss like that?" Sasuke asked dryly.

"Jiraiya won't fire me. He needs me too much," Naruto responded, "So, what do you need, teme?"

The dark-haired Uchiha shook his head, even knowing his best friend couldn't see him.

"I have a job interview tomorrow-" he began.

"ALL RIGHT!" Naruto interrupted.

"-and I need a ride," he finished.

"Sure! I can talk the pervert into letting me work through lunch so I have the time to take you. What time do you need me?" the blond asked.

Not for the first time, Sasuke felt a surge of gratitude toward his best friend. Naruto would do anything for him, and he had proven that many times over.

"The interview is at ten-thirty, so I'll need you to pick me up at ten," he said.

"Where is it?" Naruto asked.

"Sound Industries."

There was a moment of silence from the other end of the phone. When Naruto did speak, his tone was more serious than his friend had ever heard it.

"You can't work there, Sasuke. Trust me, no matter how much they offer to pay you. It isn't something you want to get involved with," the blond said earnestly.

As grateful as Sasuke was for Naruto's help, he could not stand feeling like someone was telling him what to do. His lean form tensed and his hand tightened on the phone until the plastic creaked warningly.

"That's my decision to make, dobe. Will you take me or not?" he asked coldly.

Silence, then a heavy sigh.

"I'll take you, teme, but be careful," Naruto said at last.

"See you at ten," Sasuke said in reply, hanging up the phone.

.oOo.oOo.

The next morning found Sasuke dressed once again in one of his suits. Hinata fixed his tie, then impulsively laid a chaste kiss on his lips. She smiled when a light blush crept across his cheekbones.

"For luck," she said.

He nodded and walked her to the door, waving as she drove off. He hadn't told her about the other job offer he had gotten, or about Naruto's warning against Sound Industries. He felt like a real jerk as he went back inside. At ten o'clock exactly, Naruto honked from the driveway. Sasuke locked the front door behind him and slid into the passenger seat. The two drove in strained silence until the blond couldn't take it anymore.

"Look, teme, good luck, alright? I don't approve, but I still support you. Believe it!" he said, taking one hand from the wheel to give a thumb's up.

"Dobe, keep both hands on the wheel," Sasuke said sharply. Then, a moment later in a softer tone, "Thanks, Naruto."

The blond smiled and the rest of the drive was made in a more companionable silence. Naruto pulled over at the curb to let his friend out, then moved back into traffic. As usual, he would find a parking spot nearby and wait for Sasuke. The dark-haired man straightened his suit jacket before going into the building. He approached the receptionist with a smile.

"Excuse me, I have an appointment with Mr. Orochimaru at ten-thirty," he said.

The woman smiled back at him, checking something on her computer.

"Go right on up, Mr. Uchiha. His office is on the fourteenth floor. It's the first door on your left; you can't miss it," she said.

He nodded his thanks and went to the elevator. The ride up seemed to take forever and the annoyingly cheerful elevator music was grating on his nerves. He was ready to gleefully rip all of the wires from the speaker by the time the doors opened onto the fourteenth floor. Sure enough, directly on his left was a door labeled 'Executive Suite.' He opened it, taking one deep breath before he stepped inside. A silver-haired man rose from behind his desk as soon as he saw Sasuke. One hand was stretched out to grasp the Uchiha's, while the other adjusted the glasses which sat on his nose.

"Mr. Uchiha, I am Kabuto Yakushi, the one who called you yesterday. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said.

Sasuke returned the handshake, caught off guard by the secretary's friendliness.

"Please have a seat. My employer will be with you in just a moment," Kabuto said, retreating to his own desk.

He picked up the phone and murmured something into it, Sasuke assumed the news that he had arrived. The young man settled down uneasily to wait, his dark eyes scanning the room. Naruto's warning was fresh in his mind, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary in the room.

'_If they have something illegal going, of course it wouldn't be in plain sight,'_ his mind scolded.

A moment later, Kabuto's head lifted at some unheard signal.

"You may go in now, Mr. Uchiha," he said.

Sasuke rose and stepped into the inner office. His gaze scanned the opulent room before at last coming to rest on the man behind the massive desk. His dark hair was extraordinarily long, making him appear almost feminine. His eyes were an odd green color and the pupils looked almost…snake-like. As Sasuke studied him, the man's tongue came out to lick his lips. He held back a shudder. At that moment, he had felt as though the man wanted to eat him. He pushed aside that thought, discounting it as a silly fear spawned by Naruto's words.

"Ssso you are Ssasuke Uchiha. I have been looking forward to meeting you," the man said, "Please, have a ssseat.

The young man sank into one of the plush chairs. Was Orochimaru hissing, or was he just imagining things? He managed a smile, but his spinning mind would not put together any coherent sentences. Orochimaru leaned forward in his own chair.

"I knew your brother, you know. That was many, many yearsss ago," he said conversationally.

Sasuke's eyes widened, "You knew Itachi?"

A thin smile from Orochimaru sent chills down his spine.

"I never thought anyone would be able to kill him. I was quite surprisssed when I heard that you had actually succeeded where ssso many had failed," Orochimaru said.

Sasuke shifted uneasily in his seat. Maybe he should have listened to Naruto. Though the blond was typically an idiot, it seemed he had had good reason to warn Sasuke away from Sound Industries. This man was downright creepy.

"That is something I have since had reason to regret," he stated.

"Ah yesss, the unfortunate prisson time. Anyway, I see here that you have a very qualified ressume. You have experience in the corporate world?" he asked.

Sasuke relaxed slightly now that they had moved back into familiar territory.

"Yes, sir. My father was grooming me for a role in the family business," he said.

The man nodded, his eerie gaze dropping back to the papers in front of him. He set them aside and stood up. Sasuke stood as well, partially out of politeness and partially because this man made him very uncomfortable.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Sssasuke, if you do not mind me being so forward," Orochimaru said.

Distracted by the way the man's tongue was again licking his lips, the young man only nodded.

"Kabuto will be calling you in a few days to let you know my decision," he said.

Sasuke nodded, then forced out, "Thank you, sir."

He turned and quickly left the office. Kabuto called out a farewell, but Sasuke only waved in acknowledgement. He didn't breathe easily until he was again sitting next to Naruto. His head fell back onto the headrest as he sighed noisily. The blond glanced over at him.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Strangely," Sasuke said shortly.

Naruto's interest was obviously piqued, but it was clear that his friend had no desire to elaborate. He frowned before settling his attention on the busy street ahead of him. He pulled to a stop outside Hinata's home, turning as Sasuke climbed from the car.

"I guess I should head back to work," he said, clearly wanting an excuse to linger.

Instead, the Uchiha waved.

"Talk to you later, dobe," he said.

"Bye, teme. Say 'hi' to Hinata and Hinome for me!" Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded, shoving his hands in his pockets as he headed toward the door. He watched television until noon, but was quickly bored out of his mind. He quickly scribbled out a note telling Hinata he would be home for dinner, then headed out. Within a few minutes, he found himself again outside the bookstore. Like the day before, the old man—_'Kakashi,'_ he mentally corrected. It was the silver hair that made him look so old, when he really could be only ten years or so older than Sasuke—was sitting behind the counter, head buried in his dirty novel. The Uchiha stopped before the counter.

"Could I start a day early?" he said.

Kakashi's head lifted, then his eye crinkled in a smile.

"You bet," he responded.

.oOo.oOo.

Two months later…

Hinata stood worriedly at the window, pulling aside the curtain to see that the sun was touching the tops of the nearby buildings. Hinome was in the room watching television, so she tried her best to hide her fear.

Sasuke wasn't home yet.

He was _always_ home for dinner. Every day, he had always made sure to get off work early enough to eat a meal with his family. Afterwards, he would clean up the dishes to allow Hinata time to spend with their daughter. Today, however, the meal was finished, the dishes were cleaned and put away, and his plate sat waiting in the refrigerator. Sheer terror rose in her throat, nearly choking her. She could imagine a thousand scenarios in which he was lying unconscious and bleeding in the street—confronted by thieves, struck by a drunk driver…surprised by thugs from Sound Industries. Her memory darted back to the aftermath of his interview two months ago.

Kabuto Yakushi had called, cheerfully informing him that he had been accepted for the position. When Sasuke told them he had found other employment, Kabuto had warned him to rethink his decision. Her…boyfriend? Lover?...had refused and Kabuto had hung up. He had called back multiple times, at last resorting to outright threats. Hinata now drove Hinome to work rather than letting her ride the bus, and both of them were careful to not go out alone anywhere. Sasuke, however, continued to walk to and from work, almost daring Sound Industries to make good on their threats. It terrified Hinata, but any other reaction from Sasuke would make him less than the man she loved.

Yes, she did love him. For the past ten years, she had said the words more to reassure herself than because she really meant them. She had felt loyalty to Sasuke more than anything, since he was the father of her daughter. But these past months she had definitely fallen in love with him all over again. He was so gentle and loving with their daughter, yet he seemed almost shy around her. They had not kissed since the morning Sound Industries had called about the interview, much less done anything else. Somehow, this uncharacteristic reticence on Sasuke's part made her love him all the more.

Tears were suddenly streaming down her face and she muffled a sob with one hand. Hinome must have heard, however, for her head turned. Her dark eyes, so like her father's, were concerned.

"What's wrong, Mamma?" she asked.

Hinata parted the curtain again, spying Sasuke coming up the sidewalk. She scanned his form, but he didn't look injured in any way. She let the curtain drop and hurried toward the door.

"Nothing, honey," she responded.

She opened the door, ready to lash out at Sasuke for scaring her like he had. Before she could even open her mouth, he had dropped down onto one knee, his hand reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a small box, but didn't open it yet.

"Hinata, will you marry me?" he asked.

It was blunt, with none of the frills other men might have added. However, this was Sasuke and saying what he really felt was utterly out of character for him. His dark eyes, however, told her everything she needed to know.

He was sorry for leaving her alone all those years.

He wanted to be there for their daughter and for her for the rest of his life.

He loved her.

Another sob choked its way from her mouth as she nodded wordlessly.

"Yes," she managed.

He opened the box then, producing an engagement ring that sparkled with a single amethyst. Two smaller diamonds were set on either side of the purple gem. He slid the ring onto her finger—a perfect fit. She held it up, admiring it for a moment, before pulling her future husband to her. He searched her eyes for a moment, then bent and kissed her.

"Daddy, you're home!" Hinome shouted.

The couple pulled apart to face their daughter. Hinome's dark eyes had fixed on the engagement ring. A grin lit her face.

"Finally! Now we can be a real family," she said.

Hinata shook her head, looking between the two people who meant the most to her in the world.

"We're already a family. This will just make it official," she said.

Then, because he was finally with her again, she urged Sasuke close and kissed him again. In the background, their daughter pretended to gag at the sappy picture they presented.

* * *

As you might be able to tell, there is a possibility of a sequel involving the difficulties with Sound Industries, if anyone is interested. Please let me know!

Thanks to **bookworm007, Azami Hanako, Miss Hydrangea, HeartBrokenHinata, RunningBarefootAtMidnight, SmallButPowerful, Akai-sora, Estheriana, Toni, Hopeful Forgotten, Lady kHOLIC, unbeatable hinata, winterkaguya, blackraven615, KibaIsHott, **and **Anonymous** for reviewing laster chapter!


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